For all businesses, partnering with a roofing contractor who makes safety a priority is a smart decision. The lack of safety protocols and training in commercial roofing projects can end up costing more than the cost of the original project. Pre-qualifying your contractor to make sure the crews have proper mandatory safety training helps insure that your roofing project will be successful.

Throughout Ontario, Canada, all crews who work at heights are required to complete Working at Heights Training in addition to other safety and job-related trainings. This mandate is from the Canadian Ministry of Labour’s Occupational Heights and Safety Awareness and Training Regulations. Currently, the training is mandated in Ontario but will be required in all provinces in the future.

When working at heights, employers on construction projects are required to provide one of the following methods of fall protection for their crews:

Travel restraint system

Fall arrest system

Fall restricting system

Safety net

Work belt

Safety belt

At CentiMark Ltd’s Mississauga, ON office, Jim Penney, Safety Manager, is the certified safety trainer for CentiMark crews. Presently, 72 crewmembers in Ontario are trained in Working at Heights. “This eight hour training is in addition to the four hours of existing required training,” states Penney. “ Every new crewmember must be trained before they can start working.” The training is valid for three years; then, re-certification is required.

While the Ministry of Labour requires the training for all workers on projects ten feet and over, CentiMark exceeds the mandate by requiring the training for all projects six feet and over. Penney notes that CentiMark typically uses the travel restraint system or the fall arrest system for their crews. A travel restraint system consists of: a full body harness, a lanyard that is short enough to prevent the worker from reaching an edge that he/she could fall from and an anchor point.

“Safety is a priority for CentiMark,” adds Penney. “In addition to the Working at Heights Training, we are a COR (Certificate of Recognition) Certified Contractor.”

COR™ is nationally trademarked and endorsed by participating members of the Canadian Federation of Construction Safety Associations (CFCSA) of which the Infrastructure Health and Safety Association (IHSA) is a member. It provides employers with an effective tool to assess their health and safety management system. COR™ is aimed at driving positive workplace behaviour and practices that lead to improved performance. It is currently being used across Canada and is a pre-qualification requirement for many contractors..